3 Big Data Use Cases to Kickstart Your Data-Driven Initiatives

For most companies, it is no longer the collection of big data that is halting data-driven initiatives, nor is it data’s inactionability. Since 2010, when big data first started finding its way into the daily lives of the c-suite, data collection apps have multiplied, and interactive data visualization platforms are plentiful.

For most companies, it is no longer the collection of big data that is halting data-driven initiatives, nor is it data’s inactionability. Since 2010, when big data first started finding its way into the daily lives of the c-suite, data collection apps have multiplied, and interactive data visualization platforms are plentiful.

In 2014, the logistics of big data have, for the most part, been solved. There are plenty of platforms and how-to articles that can easily point you in the direction of collecting your data and then funneling it through an ad tech platform or program to increase your online ad ROI.

And that is truly remarkable – by 2010 standards.

But what about all the rest of that hubbub surrounding big data? What about all the possibilities outside of an ad tech platform, through which data-driven initiatives spurred on by ethical big data collection and use can create not just high ROI, but add a seriously valuable asset to your balance sheet quarter-over-quarter? Yeah, where are the multitudes of platforms and how-to articles for that?

Truth – there aren’t many. And, since over here at Umbel we have the platform part down, we thought we’d go ahead and hop on solving for the lack of how-to articles. Because, whether you use our digital genome technology or not, we believe that everyone should have equal access to the true value big data can create. The only way to make sure that happens is to open source our internal ideas, use cases and insanely successful stories with the web – in true “sharing of information” style.

Here, check out how three of our clients turned big data in to, yes, ROI, but also, so much more. Let these stories kick-start your big data use creativity.

YPlan, or How Big Data Drives App Downloads

For YPlan, Facebook Power Editor advertising just wasn’t enough. The mobile app needed to be able to aggregate and analyze first-, second- and third- party data in conjunction with behavioral data including GPS location data. In addition, the app works best when multiple friends within a group use the app, so the ability to find target lookalike audiences that matched very specific and unique traits of already existing customers was a high priority.

Their solution? Drive app downloads more consistently using intelligence gathered via second-party data, including brand affinities, friend circles and geolocation information. By creating ads and copy created for an audience the platform understood well, Facebook ad conversion exceed that of Facebook Power Editor’s by 1200% (yes, they used both a big data platform AND Facebook Power Editor, separately, to test which would work best. It’s the new a/b testing and it’s recommended).

“YPlan surpassed 30,000 app downloads at an average of 20% below the maximum threshold of $4.”

Using big data, YPlan surpassed 30,000 app downloads at an average of 20% below the maximum threshold of $4.

SXSW, or How Big Data Drives Better Sponsors

SXSW has grown immensely over the past few years and while the conference can collect information on attendees who buy badges, it has been difficult to collect information on those RSVPing and attending SXSW parties, especially as different party hosts use different platforms to send out their RSVP forms. The proper big data platform, though, can easily solve this issue and SXSW employed one as a tech partner in order to unify their disparate attendee data points using a 3-step activation app.

Through the app, SXSW collected more than 56,000 attendee data points for those attending unofficial parties and the festival is currently using data visualizations to understand which brands resonate most with audience members, and plan on pulling them in as sponsors.

See, in the past, particularly in 2014, SXSW has gotten some slack from publications for being too brand focused. And, indeed, if you attend SXSW, you already know how prominent advertisements truly are during the event. In fact, most “free” events involve some sort of brand social media promotion in order to gain access.

“All of that can really be summed up as creating a better experience for SXSW attendees.”

For SXSW, the goal isn’t the eliminate brand presence. Instead, the goal is to bring is more relevant brands by analyzing attendees’ brand affinities via collected second-party data.

“One of the richest areas of big data is the brand segments, in terms of what other brands this audience is engaging with. We plan to use that data going forward to target additional sponsors and other clients to match with this group of people. All of that can really be summed up as creating a better experience for SXSW attendees,” said Scott Wilcox, Director of Technology, SXSW.

COTA, or How Big Data Drives Ticket Sales

After a five year hiatus, the F1 USGP announced it was bringing the race to Austin, TX in 2012. Press coverage and excitement around the returning event created buzz and free marketing that ensured a sold out event with little planned marketing efforts. However, in its second year, the 2013 F1 USGP had lost some of the novelty of the previous year and COTA faced new marketing challenges. With 40 days left before the kickoff of the 2013 race, COTA turned their focus to collecting and utilizing their audience data, looking to boost ticket sales during the final hours.

Using a 3-step big data activator, COTA collected audience data on fans who purchased, interactively visualizing for the COTA team the brand affinities, locations, ages and technology preferences of their fans. From there, a multi-platform ad campaign went into motion, with the goal being tickets sold, not merely click-throughs.

“Big data drove 50% of all COTA ticket sales, resulting in 6x ROI.”

Within the final days, big data drove 50% of all COTA ticket sales, resulting in 6x ROI. Better yet, brand awareness reached thousands of new potential fans, with 80% of website traffic during the last 40 days being pushed from ad campaigns utilizing big data.